Two Held on Suspicion of Murdering SNL Writer's Sister
Police arrested Delorean Bijon Brandon, Downer's boyfriend, and Kaylee Nicole Markowski on suspicion of murder. Detectives believe the pair disposed of her body and concealed the crime.
- 41-year-old Brandon was arrested in Highland Park; Markowski, 34, in Tarzana.
- $2 million bail is set for each suspect.
- Downer's cellphone was found washed up on a Santa Monica beach.
- Police searched a Joshua Tree Airbnb earlier this month with K-9 units.
Why it matters: The arrests follow months of public tension between Downer's family and police. In April, Fowlie said LAPD had told the family his sister was dead. LAPD said she had not been located and the case had not been reclassified.
- Brandon told authorities Downer had moved out. Her car and dog were left behind.
- Fowlie alleges someone used her phone to seek money and fake her departure.
How 6 sources split on this story
Center coverage, 2 sources: The center reports the arrests alongside LAPD's earlier refusal to confirm Fowlie's account that his sister was dead.
Left coverage, 2 sources: The left treats it as a murder case, focusing on the boyfriend's arrest and the police account of the evidence.
Right coverage, 2 sources: The right frames the arrests as a breakthrough in a long mystery, stressing the allegations that someone hijacked her social media accounts.
What’s next: Police have not said what, if anything, the Joshua Tree search turned up. They say the investigation continues.
- LAPD asks anyone with information to call its Missing Persons Unit.
- Have investigators found Downer's remains?
- Do police confirm that Downer's phone and social media accounts were used by someone else after she vanished?
- Outlets differ on the arrest day and the welfare-check date. Which dates are correct?
